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Political Ad Revenue Breaks Record For Sinclair, Lifting It To Better-Than-Expected Q3 Results
Sinclair reported better-than-expected third-quarter results after political advertising surged during the run-up to the 2026 midterms. The record spending helped lift revenue and earnings, and the company said the results suggest local television remains an important platform for political campaigns.
Sinclair sold $136 million in political advertising from July to September, bringing its 2026 total to a record $455 million, up from $333 million in the 2022 midterm cycle and above the $405 million presidential-year total in 2024. Quarterly revenue rose 16% year on year to $893 million, while adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $213 million and earnings per share reached 60 cents, compared with a 2-cent loss a year earlier. Sinclair executives said the year’s political spending could bode well for 2028, when both parties will hold open presidential primaries.
In short
- Sinclair’s 2026 political ad sales reached a record $455 million.
- Third-quarter revenue rose 16% to $893 million.
- Executives expect political advertising to remain important in 2028.
Explained simply
Sinclair is a US media company that owns local television stations, which broadcast news and other programmes to viewers in their areas. It earns money from advertising, including ads bought by political campaigns.
In the United States, midterm elections take place halfway through a president’s four-year term and decide seats in Congress and many state and local offices. Campaigns use local television to reach voters in particular areas, alongside other forms of advertising.
Political advertising can bring broadcasters a large but uneven source of income, rising around elections and falling between them. Sinclair’s results matter to investors and the wider media industry because they offer a measure of how much campaigns are spending on local TV.
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